1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of utilized to facilitate lifting and handling of gas tanks such as oxygen tanks especially when placement and movement thereof from one position to a position of a different elevation as required. Such devices often include a manual manipulating mechanism or a powered actuator for facilitating this movement.
These devices are commonly utilized for transporting oxygen cylinders into emergency vehicles and for removal therefrom. The present invention includes a unique construction for assuring that the tank and the tank base are firmly secured on the substrate upon which they are desired to be placed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Other patents have been designed for facilitating the handling and transporting of utility tanks such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,827,209 patented Oct. 13, 1931 to C. W. Robbins on an “Industrial Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,896,249 patented Feb. 7, 1933 to F. B. Russell on a “Carrier”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,463,967 patented Mar. 8, 1949 to E. C. Hefelfinger on a “Cylinder Carriage”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,500,055 patented Mar. 7, 1950 to R. W. Baker on a “Combined Truck And Hoist Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,483 patented Jan. 6, 1953 to E. E. Ketzel on a “Carrier For Welding Outfits”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,257 patented Jan. 10, 1956 to R. H. F. Stresau, Jr. on a “Chassis Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,086 patented Mar. 13, 1956 to W. A. Reich on a “Hand Truck For Handling Banana Bunches”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,147 patented Sep. 8, 1959 to G. E. Davis, Jr. on a “Lifting And Mounting Device For Outboard Motors”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,347 patented Sep. 22, 1959 to F. P. Hopfeld on a “Drum Handling Lift Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,046 patented Oct. 7, 1969 to G. H. Hess on a “Cart For Gas Cylinders”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,097 patented Jan. 25, 1972 to R. R. Horowitz and assigned to S&H Industries, Inc. on a “Power-Operated Tailgate With Maximum Rearward Displacement Between Fully Elevated And Fully Lowered Positions”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,342 patented Aug. 8, 1972 to D. L. Evans on “Lifting Devices”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,070 patented May 3, 1977 to F. J. Shea on a “Mechanical Lift”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,281 patented Nov. 22, 1977 to D. W. Evans and assigned to Towmotor Corporation on a “Mounting Assembly For A Controllably Movable Fluid Tank”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,937 patented Jun. 3, 1980 to N. C. Fawley on a “Carrier For Compressed Gas Cylinders”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,529 patented Sep. 9, 1980 to A. DeShano on a “Delivery Trailer”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,661 patented Mar. 9, 1982 to J. T. Helm and assigned to Dozier Equipment International Company on a “Drum Handling Device For Forklift”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,123 patented Aug. 20, 1985 to W. E. Snyder on a “Hand Truck Apparatus For Elevating And Transporting An Object”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,656 patented Oct. 7, 1986 to J. T. Geraghty, Jr. on a “Cylinder Gripping Attachment For A Fork Lift Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,582 patented Apr. 19, 1988 to J. E. Roberts and assigned to E Manufacturing Company Inc. on a “Tank Carrier And Manipulator”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,056 patented Feb. 28, 1989 to S. Oshima on an “Elevator Device Transportable In A Motor Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,381 patented Jul. 10, 1990 to A. L. Rysewyk and assigned to American Telephone and Telegraph Company on a “Mobile Hoist”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,280 patented Apr. 14, 1992 to M. P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek on an “Apparatus For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,311 patented Sep. 8, 1992 to F. S. Salvucci and assigned to Anthony Welded Products, Inc. on a “Cylindrical Tank Lift With Four Wheels For Mobility And Stability”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,550 patented May 4, 1993 to M. S. Lehman and assigned to Valley Craft on a “Drum Handler”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,628 patented May 11, 1993 to C. C. Hassell on a “Self-Loading Dolly Mount Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,839 patented May 3, 1994 to K. L. Loebker et al on a “Bottled Gas Cart”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,136 patented Aug. 23, 1994 to R. M. MacNeil et al and assigned to Canadian Liquid Air Ltd. on a “Cylinder Cart With Magnetics”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,278 patented Sep. 6, 1994 to H. Emig, Jr. on an “Apparatus For Raising And Moving An Open Ended Container”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,357 patented Sep. 13, 1994 to C. C. Hassell on a “Self-Locking Parallel-Motion Dolly Mount”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,338 patented Nov. 22, 1994 to E. P. Mortensen on a “Lift And Tow Motorcycle Transporter”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,098 patented Aug. 8, 1995 to T. A. Matus and assigned to Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. on a “Gas Cylinder Lifting System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,357 patented May 21, 1996 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael P. Ziaylek on a “Retaining And Retrieval Apparatus For Storage Of A Ladder Upon A Vehicle Shelf Area”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,154 patented Apr. 8, 1997 to A. J. Irons, Jr. et al and assigned to Easy Lift Equipment Co., Inc. on a “Drum Transporter”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,118 patented Aug. 19, 1997 to B. Luca on a “Cylinder Transporter”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,857 patented Aug. 11, 1998 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael Paul Ziaylek on an “Automatic Ladder Lowering And Storage Device For Use With An Emergency Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,612 patented Nov. 16, 1999 to M. D. Tatro on a “Tank Lifting Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,474 patented Aug. 31, 1999 to M. M. Cummins et al and assigned to Drum Runner Material Handling Co. on a “Support For A Cylindrical Container”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,312 patented Jul. 11, 2000 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Tank Handling Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,048 patented Jan. 9, 2001 to C. J. Grimes on a “Fire Suppression Agent Storage Container Lifting And Transportation Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,048 patented Apr. 9, 2002 to E. A. Womble et al on a “Transport Cart For Elongated Objects”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,248 patented Jun. 18, 2002 to D. E. McGill et al on an “Apparatus For Lifting And Moving An Upright Cylindrical Container”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,398 patented Apr. 15, 2008 to J. J. O'Connor and assigned to Lincoln Global, Inc. on a “Cart For Welding Operations”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,360,543 patented Apr. 22, 2008 to G. Coleman et al and assigned to Itec Manufacturing Ltd. on a “Patient Assist Lift”; and U.S. Publication No. 2002/0076313 published Jun. 20, 2002 to R. Vartanian Sr. on a “Platform Lift”; and U.S. Publication No. 2007/0292249 published Dec. 20, 2007 to M. Wilson and assigned to Itec Manufacturing, Ltd. on a “Compact System For Lifting And Moving Pressurized Tank”; and United States Publication No. 2008/0000486 published Jan. 3, 2008 to M. Wilson and assigned to Itec Manufacturing, Ltd. on “Straps For Restraining A Patient's Arms”.